This is a blog supported by students in Dr. Andre E Johnson's African and African American Studies classes at the University of Memphis. It is open to anyone wanting to comment.
Tim Wise is an amazing speaker. He spoke about things that are happening and being overlooked by primarily white people because they have the privilege to do so and anybody else is not entitled to the same standards. I really enjoyed listening to his speech and he made some very valid points.
I never heard of Tim Wise until taking this course. Hearing an topic being addressed by a non African American should not be an issue. Tim Wise is among the most prominent anti-racist writers and educators in the United States.
As a black woman who is very proud of my cultural and ethnic background, I am happy to know that there are those who exist outside of the African & African American ethnic group willing to bring "our" issues to society's forefront. I say this with a but--whites helped during the underground railroad, whites helped during the boycotts of the 60's, it was also whites who put our first black president in office -- blacks only make up 12% of the population, while whites are still the majority. With that said, I appreciate that Tim Wise acknowledges that "very little originated in his head and is new" that most of what he mentioned has been "provided by blacks who are not asked". Everything must start with a simple conversation and this is where change begins. Tim Wise broached extremely relevant topics such as the nations political process and campaigns of 2006 where he addressed the highest rate of housing discrimination took place after the actual bill was passed in 1968. These are things main stream American refuses to look at, he also states the 2004 journal of public health lists the # of blacks who died due to blackness and no access to proper healthcare, at 1 million --how is a million black folks dead not news he asks? Simple, no one in white American cares enough for it to matter. As I have stated often and over again, all black communities must band together as we did in the 60's and 70's to acknowledge our hurt and poverty, but we fisrt have to be tired of the injustice. It seems we have all but accepted our role of being on the bottom of the totem pole that now all of the struggles of the past 50yrs are irrelevant. Blacks and hispanics are stopped and searched vs whites actually having drugs according to Wise, you think?! And he is correct, 44-45yrs later has it gotten better for black and brown people, equal education, pushing too far, too soon asking for too much during the MLK speech at the March on Washington? No, it has not gotten any better.
We have allowed ourselves to fade into the background. Right now parents within the city of Memphis have filed suit against Shelby County for treating our children as if they are less than worthy of being equally educated along side their predominantly white peers. Does Brown vs Board ring a bell? These are the issues we as blacks used to riot over because they were clear injustices, now we sit idly by and watch who will get the last word and decide for, not only us, but our children. So, what are the odds that people of color have lost their minds? Very likely- we've lost the fight in us while the odds that whites are perceptive are slim to none. How many white speakers do we hear about giving speeches about racism on behalf of the minority? Very few. I thoroughly enjoyed that Wise points out it is a privilege and advantage of knowing someone elses history, housing discrimination and racial profiling---underprivileged being a passive word--white privilege being real at the psychological level. We as blacks are definitely held to knowing all of white Americas history but know very little of our own. We cram and agonize over history classes to earn college credits based on white America's history, but don't know the basis of who and where we come from. Wise says that we are burdened with representation, worrying about saying a word incorrectly, and this is what it has amounted to in the year 2011. We still worry about what not only the next person, but what the white person thinks of us. Wise states there are,"129 confirmed white terrorists and there is no stigma." But black men continue to fill prisons to the brim so much so that it's become an extremely profitable business. The european culture has succeeded in their "divide and conquer approach." Blacks not only claim to hate the white man but we also continue to hate and lack support of each other therefore, slavery is maintained. Wise also points out that "privilege have the luxury of forgetting the people they have oppressed." But what happens when the oppressed forgets that they have been oppressed? "Nothing to do with guilt, didnt create it but inherited the legacy, not about guilt about responsibility." Although meant for his white audience, these statements also apply to the ancestors of those slaves who bled and died for the right to live equally and just. Kudos to Tim Wise, but when will we do our part??
I enjoyed watching Tim Wise's lecture.I think it was very informative and he stated many things that needed to be said.I am not over joyed because at the end of the day we have to keep in mind his privelege as a white man afforded him the right to state what he has stated. How can a white man truely express the daily struggle of a black man or a woman.An individula can never understand something thet have never experienced.I do not understand what a white man or white woman everyday struggle is because I am an African American woman.When will white America stand up and apologise for all the years of sufferings blacks have endured. I appreciate Tim Wise taking time out to speak about the struggles of african Americans but Tim Wise is a priveleged white man who does not understand the tru struggles.He is hat I perceive as a "storyteller".He is telling a story of what he has heard but never experienced.
Tim Wise is an amazing speaker. He spoke about things that are happening and being overlooked by primarily white people because they have the privilege to do so and anybody else is not entitled to the same standards. I really enjoyed listening to his speech and he made some very valid points.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of Tim Wise until taking this course. Hearing an topic being addressed by a non African American should not be an issue. Tim Wise is among the most prominent anti-racist writers and educators in the United States.
ReplyDeleteAs a black woman who is very proud of my cultural and ethnic background, I am happy to know that there are those who exist outside of the African & African American ethnic group willing to bring "our" issues to society's forefront. I say this with a but--whites helped during the underground railroad, whites helped during the boycotts of the 60's, it was also whites who put our first black president in office -- blacks only make up 12% of the population, while whites are still the majority. With that said, I appreciate that Tim Wise acknowledges that "very little originated in his head and is new" that most of what he mentioned has been "provided by blacks who are not asked". Everything must start with a simple conversation and this is where change begins. Tim Wise broached extremely relevant topics such as the nations political process and campaigns of 2006 where he addressed the highest rate of housing discrimination took place after the actual bill was passed in 1968. These are things main stream American refuses to look at, he also states the 2004 journal of public health lists the # of blacks who died due to blackness and no access to proper healthcare, at 1 million --how is a million black folks dead not news he asks? Simple, no one in white American cares enough for it to matter. As I have stated often and over again, all black communities must band together as we did in the 60's and 70's to acknowledge our hurt and poverty, but we fisrt have to be tired of the injustice. It seems we have all but accepted our role of being on the bottom of the totem pole that now all of the struggles of the past 50yrs are irrelevant. Blacks and hispanics are stopped and searched vs whites actually having drugs according to Wise, you think?! And he is correct, 44-45yrs later has it gotten better for black and brown people, equal education, pushing too far, too soon asking for too much during the MLK speech at the March on Washington? No, it has not gotten any better.
ReplyDeleteWe have allowed ourselves to fade into the background. Right now parents within the city of Memphis have filed suit against Shelby County for treating our children as if they are less than worthy of being equally educated along side their predominantly white peers. Does Brown vs Board ring a bell? These are the issues we as blacks used to riot over because they were clear injustices, now we sit idly by and watch who will get the last word and decide for, not only us, but our children.
ReplyDeleteSo, what are the odds that people of color have lost their minds? Very likely- we've lost the fight in us while the odds that whites are perceptive are slim to none. How many white speakers do we hear about giving speeches about racism on behalf of the minority? Very few. I thoroughly enjoyed that Wise points out it is a privilege and advantage of knowing someone elses history, housing discrimination and racial profiling---underprivileged being a passive word--white privilege being real at the psychological level. We as blacks are definitely held to knowing all of white Americas history but know very little of our own. We cram and agonize over history classes to earn college credits based on white America's history, but don't know the basis of who and where we come from. Wise says that we are burdened with representation, worrying about saying a word incorrectly, and this is what it has amounted to in the year 2011. We still worry about what not only the next person, but what the white person thinks of us. Wise states there are,"129 confirmed white terrorists and there is no stigma." But black men continue to fill prisons to the brim so much so that it's become an extremely profitable business. The european culture has succeeded in their "divide and conquer approach." Blacks not only claim to hate the white man but we also continue to hate and lack support of each other therefore, slavery is maintained. Wise also points out that "privilege have the luxury of forgetting the people they have oppressed." But what happens when the oppressed forgets that they have been oppressed? "Nothing to do with guilt, didnt create it but inherited the legacy, not about guilt about responsibility." Although meant for his white audience, these statements also apply to the ancestors of those slaves who bled and died for the right to live equally and just. Kudos to Tim Wise, but when will we do our part??
I enjoyed watching Tim Wise's lecture.I think it was very informative and he stated many things that needed to be said.I am not over joyed because at the end of the day we have to keep in mind his privelege as a white man afforded him the right to state what he has stated. How can a white man truely express the daily struggle of a black man or a woman.An individula can never understand something thet have never experienced.I do not understand what a white man or white woman everyday struggle is because I am an African American woman.When will white America stand up and apologise for all the years of sufferings blacks have endured. I appreciate Tim Wise taking time out to speak about the struggles of african Americans but Tim Wise is a priveleged white man who does not understand the tru struggles.He is hat I perceive as a "storyteller".He is telling a story of what he has heard but never experienced.
ReplyDelete